


Resting

by greenbucket



Series: Summer [2]
Category: Dark Matter - Michelle Paver
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-03-12
Packaged: 2018-10-03 09:17:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10241420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenbucket/pseuds/greenbucket
Summary: He wants to be able to be conducting research now, to be travelling now, to have Jack come alongside him for as long as Jack wants.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A Gus POV.

Gus feels a little too warm in the sun, the cumulative heat of the day finally starting to get to him. Part of him wants to flop in the shade with Isaak and another is almost tempted to join Algie with his paddling pool endeavour even if it is just to dip his feet in for a bit. More than both of those though, Gus wants to stay right where he is: one hand gathering daisies before their secretive landlord sends in the gardener and a lawnmower to slice them all up, the other half in the grass and half twisted in the ends of Jack’s hair.

Jack looks softer than he has all year, the lines across his forehead that had seemed permanent all winter relaxed out and the shadows under his eyes just tired rather than exhausted. He’s smiling just a little and Gus can’t imagine it’s because listening to Gus and Hugo discussing a paper on melting icecaps really cheers him that much.

If they were alone, just the two of them together, Gus might ask but as it is he’s just pleased Jack is happy. Gus wants to see him pretty much always, distinctly remembers thinking with a sigh that Jack was still one of the most attractive people he knew even when he’d grown out his awful beard on a dare, and he’s always been a little amazed by Jack’s determined go-it-alone approach. That said, there’s something to be said for seeing Jack when he’s rested, skin warm and smooth from the sun and close enough to touch in his soft t-shirt.

They’d kissed earlier. Gus won’t think about it too much, sure the others will be able to see it in his face somehow.

One of these days, they’re going to find a time where their free time matches up for long enough for them to go away together; somewhere interesting but quiet, where they can both get away from the city but so Jack can especially. Somewhere with the sea hopefully and somewhere where they’ll be able to look at the stars at night because – and Gus can admit this to himself – it would be a date like from a storybook and his heart speeds up at the quiet romance of it, but also because he knows they’ll both be in their element.

Gus is going to try to stop himself pointing out and babbling about every flora and fauna he lays his eyes on and then stop trying when he realises Jack is really and truly interested in all of it. Jack will explain all the physics of space for the fifth time so that Gus can wrap his mind around it too and they’ll hold hands when they walk and suddenly Gus is filled with yearning for all of it – Jack animated and bright, the sound of the waves on the beach or the ice cracking or the desert wind blowing, letting everyone he knows share in their happiness without any catches. A future.

He wants to be able to be conducting research now, to be travelling now, to have Jack come alongside him for as long as Jack wants.

Hugo has gone quiet and Gus realises he’s been gazing out at the back fence blankly for who knows how long and never responded to Hugo’s last point. He comes back to the sunny garden fully and starts to apologise but Hugo waves it away before Gus can speak. Instead he gestures toward Jack with a little smirk and Gus looks down to see Jack’s face almost slack, body still enough that he may have gone to sleep.

Gus doesn’t want to wake him but knows Jack would be terribly embarrassed if he was caught asleep by the others.

He tugs Jack’s hair just gently. “Stay awake for dessert, Jack.”

Jack’s feet wriggle just a little, a happy little movement that Gus thinks he might not even be aware of.

Before Jack can reply Algie’s making some kind of comment about his blasted pudding and then Jack’s shooting quickly back and the moment is lost. It’s not the first date Gus would choose out of a line up but, for all the times he asks himself why, these people matter to him and he wants Jack to fit in with them and feel comfortable. It’s been a nice day, at least the afternoon now Jack’s here and everyone’s calmed down from their heat-induced constant teasing and pranking that made the morning so exhausting.

He starts to sort through the daisies he’s gathered, looking for sturdy stems.

Gus is both so eager for and (if he’s being honest) so nervous about the future which he can see spooling out so easily that he can feel it in his fingertips. For the time being, he focuses on the daisy chain he’s making and imagining Jack’s reaction to it and listening to his friends together on a warm summer’s day.

They have all the time in the world. Gus is ready for it.


End file.
